Seemingly, LA Lakers are looking for a new point guard, but is LeBron James a factor to be considered? Majority basketball community believes the Lakers star plays almost every position efficiently. As great as this may sound, the Gil’s Arena crew finds this to be a troubling situation for players assuming certain positions. And now that the franchise is looking to upgrade their point guard from D’Angelo Russell, the crew discusses the challenges and possibilities around the situation.   

Appearing on Gil’s Arena, Kenyon Martin stated his belief when one plays with Bron, the situation becomes tricky for his own growth, especially if he is a point guard. “It stunts their growth when you play with LeBron, unfortunately. Certain positions. Other positions, not so much. If you’re a point guard, it stunts your growth playing next to LeBron,” Martin said. Meanwhile, Gilbert Arenas added that the Lakers need someone who’s aggressive. “We can’t just rely on the old dude no more,” Gil said on the podcast.

Martin is of the opinion that the demand is for someone who can go and get a bucket. Someone who does not rely on James to have to facilitate for him. Yet another question raised on the podcast was if the person in discussion would be a ‘star-type’ point guard. Gil’s suggestion for this was a point guard who plays for himself. “We need him in Kyrie mode. Like, just go. Just when you have the ball attack. Let LeBron figure out everything else,” Arenas said.

Earlier in the podcast, Arenas had mentioned how when Kyrie Irving was coming into his own in the league with the Cavs, Bron stunted his growth. Seemingly, the issue is that the King is himself the league’s one of the greatest playmakers. And his proficiency at doing so often outshines the point guard on his team. As per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the reason that Irving requested a trade from the Cavs was also because he wanted to “play in a situation where he can be more of a focal point and that he no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James.”

LeBron James’ proficiency as a point guard in season 2020

The Lakers won the championship in the 2020 season. Another unforgettable aspect of the season was Lakers being the first team to fully lean into playing James at PG. And what came as a popular opinion was that the King could be one one of the greatest point guards of all time.

James’ then teammate, Danny Green, stated how the 20x All Star makes the game easy for everybody around him. Green termed the King as a great facilitator, who finds players on time and on target. “When he finds you, he usually wants you to shoot it right there and then because you are probably wide open,” he said. 

In the 2020 season, the Lakers star averaged 25.3 points, and 7.2 rebounds. But more importantly, he averaged his career high 10.2 assists. And although Bron mostly played as a short forward with Cleveland Cavaliers, coach Mike Mike Brown once stated the 4x NBA champ was as a point guard with the team from the start. “He brought the ball up, he initiated the offense, he did everything,” Brown said. With such capabilities, it’s no wonder that LeBron James has a reputation to outshine the point guard paired with him.  

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.